MORE than a quarter of new homes built in the Wokingham district will be set aside as "affordable" housing under new proposals announced by the council.

The district council's decision-making executive agreed last week that up to 26 per cent of all new housing should be so designated and will be achieved by a variety of means, such as shared ownership.

The new policy reflects an option outlined in a recent Housing Requirements Study, where up to 26 per cent of housing should be affordable through a mixture of low cost owned, part owned or rented accommodation.

Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons said: "This will help fulfil our plans for key worker housing and help those who do not want to leave the area and want to stay near their families.

"We need to house the homeless, disabled and those who are only able to rent."

Cllr Helliar-Symons sought to justify the departure from recommendations previously made by the Local Plan inspector: "We can now provide a mixture of types of housing and we can reflect specific local requirements.

"The Local Plan inspector said 25 per cent of all housing should be affordable, but that recommendation said the whole of that 25 per cent should be rented and that is not wanted by Wokingham District Council.

"We should go up to 26 per cent affordable housing so we can mix it as we wish — in different parts of the district and at different times."

But Cllr Fiona Rolls was concerned about how much of the 26 per cent would be for rented properties and stressed the need for more rental accommodation.

Funding for new affordable housing will be sought from Government grants and other sources such as the Private Finance Initiative.